SUNYA: Towards zero waste in South Asia

This project has now been concluded.

Background

Solid waste management is a major concern for all urban areas. Asian cities with larger populations and an increase in the consumption of resources and production of waste has created a much bigger impact on the economic and social aspects of waste management. It is obvious that the endless amount of waste cannot be treated as garbage and thrown out into landfills. It is therefore imperative to treat the waste produced as a resource.

Asian cities have the benefit of an already existing informal sector which thrives on waste segregation and recycling and reuse. The project intends to introduce the concept of zero waste into 7 municipalities of South Asia, encouraging the adoption of the '3R' principle of waste management- reduce, reuse and recycle. It will help to reduce the pressure on cities for the disposal of waste in landfills and provide them with sustainable alternatives of waste management through pilot demonstrations.